


all of us here

by polyamory



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Extremis Pepper Potts, F/F, NOT Rule 63, POV Pepper Potts, Peggy Carter as Captain America, Post-Iron Man 2, Pre-Slash, female avengers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-22
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-07-26 01:13:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7554433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/polyamory/pseuds/polyamory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All Girls Avengers AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	all of us here

**Author's Note:**

> okay, so i started this a long time ago, before ca:tws or aou or ca:cw so a lot of the women that were introduced in those movies aren't in this, but i will most likely add them when i write more for this
> 
> but i've never read any of the comics, so while this is an au i only know the mcu so i'm limited to that
> 
> also, this takes place after iron man 2

"On May 4th 1945," the agent begins and Pepper sighs internally, "Captain America and the Valkyrie crashed into the Arctic Ocean off the coast of Greenland, ultimately saving millions of lives and–"

"Agent," Pepper sighs finally, "I'm sure we all know that," she says with a nod at the other four women around the table, "so you can skip the history lesson and get right down to the facts. Please," she adds for good measure.

"After expeditions to find Steve Rogers were unsuccessful, someone else volunteered to–"

"Her name was Stella Rogers," the agent is interrupted once again by a voice coming from the door.

All heads turn towards the door and the woman silhouetted in the doorway. She has brown hair, framing her face in soft, luscious curls, and blood red lips currently pulled down into a displeased frown. The agent can evidently tell her annoyance too because he is quick to say, "That– that isn't in the file anywhere."

"No, it isn't because transmisogyny was even more rampant back then than it is today." She steps into the room finally, putting a file down on the table. "Peggy Carter," she introduces herself, "but I hear you were just about to introduce me."

She raises an eyebrow at the agent doing the debriefing and gives him a look that's 10% questioning and 100% terrifying. The agent looks faintly pale (Pepper can't even remember his name, but she only feels bad for a second before her attention is captured again by Agent Carter) and steps aside, giving Agent Carter room with the universal gesture for 'go ahead.'

"After Stella Rogers was officially declared missing and eventually declared dead I myself volunteered for Project Rebirth, code name of the experiment that turned Stella Rogers into Captain America. The super soldier serum was administrated and I became Stella's successor, admittedly a little more quietly," she allows herself a small smile.

"I stayed with the SSR until SHIELD was founded, until I founded SHIELD" she amends, and Pepper can only imagine the stones she must've gotten thrown in her way.

"I was Director of SHIELD for the longest time until I retired because ... not ageing gets suspicious after a certain amount of time and as I said, my identity was being kept a secret."

"So why are you telling us all this then?" Natal– Natasha Romanov asks from further down the table.

"The Avengers Initiative. We want to create a team of," Agent Carter pauses, considering her words, "people with special abilities. I would say superheroes but I've already heard that more than one of you objects to that label."

She looks around the room, at the women gathered there. Pepper follows her gaze to Natasha Romanov, arms crossed and eyeing them all with suspicion in her sharp gaze.

Jane Foster, astrophysicist, is looking understandably intimidated for someone whose whole life has been turned upside down in the last few weeks by the existence of gods, magic and a secret government agency that's trying to recruit her.

Next to her is the Lady Sif, whose file had been incredibly thin when Pepper had requested it. She is a Norse goddess, goddess of war more specifically and apparently a good friend of Thor and now of Jane Foster.

On Foster's other side is a young woman with long brown hair who looks like she should still be in college. Which she is, Pepper realizes when she recognizes her as Darcy Lewis, Foster's assistant and best friend. According to her file Lewis has no special power, simply too much knowledge for a civilian and a penchant for hacking into government databases.

And then there's her, of course. Pepper Potts, former CEO of Stark Industries.

"You have all been handpicked for your skills and talents and we hope that you agree to work with us and with each other," Peggy says after a long moment of silence.

"I suppose that's why you haven't asked Tony," Pepper says.

"He doesn't have the best reputation as a team player, no."

"So, what? Was her mission," she gestures at Natasha who stiffens when all eyes turn on her, "to spy on Tony or on me? Because I'd really like to know what I'm dealing with here." Pepper feels her temper rising, her already high body temperature rising with it, but she won't allow herself to lose control like that.

The other agent looks discomfited for a moment but Agent Carter just gestured for Natasha to speak.

"Originally I was sent in to supervise Stark and make sure he wasn't killed by his own invention but later on, with the Avengers Initiative in mind and after Fury realized what a horrible team player Stark is, my orders changed to include you." She looks Pepper in the eye while saying it and that at least is a comfort. Pepper can work with that, what she can't work with is cowards and people who don't own up to their actions.

"You," Peggy continues, turning to Dr. Foster, "are here because of what happened in New Mexico."

That seems to be some kind of sign because the other Agent (long forgotten, if Pepper is honest) scurries out of the room, pulling the door shut behind him. Only then does Agent Carter continue.

Pepper knows the gist of the story, Foster and Lewis along with another scientist went to New Mexico to chase after some theory of Foster's that she'd been laughed at for by her colleagues for years, only then it turned out to be true. Or something like that. Thor Odinson, Norse god extraordinaire, had fallen from the sky (it had been explained in far more fancy, scientific terms in the file) looking for his hammer, Mjolnir.

Dr. Foster had helped him find his hammer, which is also magic and "allows only the worthy to wield it." Thor hadn't been able to pick it up, not being deemed worthy apparently, but to everyone's and her own surprise Jane Foster had managed to pick up the hammer, effectively gaining the powers it lends to its carrier.

"We would like to perform additional tests," Agent Carter is saying when Pepper tunes back in, "but it seems that you inherited at least part of the Asgardian physiology when Mjolnir came into your possession. You are stronger and faster than humans and you seem to have a faster healing rate. Whether you have the invulnerability and longevity of Asgardians is currently still up for debate."

Dr. Foster looks even paler than before at these news.

"Wielding the hammer means you have control over the lightning bolt," Sif jumps in with a gentle smile that's only meant for Jane.

"Weather control is the main power of the hammer," Agent Carter agrees, "and from the reports given to us," here she glances at Sif, "Thor was able to fly, using the hammer."

"Okay, I get it," Darcy Lewis says, sitting up in her chair. "Natasha is obviously a major badass, Pepper," she points at each of them in turn," is like a fire breather dragon combo, from what I've heard." Something Pepper is sure she shouldn't have heard about at all. "Sif is a goddess and Jane is, well, something like it, I guess. They're all suited for this superhero gig. But what, in all hell's name, am I doing here?" she asks finally, looking at Agent Carter with an air of something Pepper can't quite place and doesn't know her well enough yet to read.

"You know too much," another woman responds before Carter can do much more than give Darcy a small smile, nothing more than a twitch of her lips really.

"You know too much and you're too involved in this already, too close to Doctor Foster and too nosy that there's any chance of keeping you out of things at this rate." The newcomer walks into the room, stopping only when she's standing shoulder to shoulder with Agent Carter.

"And who are you?" Darcy asks, curious and just a little snarky.

"Agent Maria Hill," Agent Carter introduces, "she will be your connection to SHIELD if you decide to join the Avengers Initiative."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Agent Hill says.

"So I take it it's not a coincidence that all of us here are women?" Darcy asks. She's a quick thinker Pepper is happy to note, they'll definitely get along.

"I think I can speak for Agent Carter as well when I say it has been our experience that the more women are involved in a project the better it tends to go," Agent Hill says with the tiniest hint of a smirk.

"That has been my experience in battle as well," Sif agrees.

Pepper tries to stifle a laugh but apparently she doesn't quite manage it because Natasha throws her a sidelong glance, suspicion clear in her eyes.

"I think that's all then," Agent Carter says, looking over at Agent Hill.

"It is. Please consider our offer, ladies, and have a nice day."

With that she's out of the room and after a moment first Darcy and then Jane and Sif stand up too, making their way to the door. Just as Pepper is about to get up and leave a voice stops her.

"Miss Potts, Agent Romanov, if you could please stay behind. I'd like to talk to the both of you alone," Agent Carter says.

She waits until the door closes behind the others before turning back to them, still in their respective seats around the conference table.

"There is some tension between the two of you," Agent Carter starts and Pepper allows herself to let out the tiniest of huffs, "understandably," Agent Carter adds, looking pointedly at her. "But, Miss Potts, you should be undoubtedly be aware that Agent Romanov's deception was not a personal choice. She was merely following her orders."

Pepper glances at Natasha out of the corner of her eye. She's sitting perfectly still, looking like a poster child for perfect composure, but her knuckles are white and she's staring straight ahead not meeting anyone's eyes.

Pepper can only marvel at what she might be thinking right now.

She'd thought she had her figured out, well, not Natasha, but Natalie Rushman. She thought she knew her, really knew her the way she hasn't known anyone since she was Tony's PA. But apparently not.

She thought she could read Natalie, but she can't read Natasha at all.

"I understand, of course," she says finally, doing her best to sound neutral.

Natasha doesn't relax even a fraction.

"Well then," Agent Carter says, "please consider the project and contact us whenever you're ready. Of course, the sooner the better."

With that she up and leaves, Pepper hot on her heels, leaving Natasha sitting alone in the conference room.

 

After the door swishes closed behind Agent Carter and Pepper Potts, Natasha stays in her seat, perfectly still until finally the motion-sensored lights flicker off and she's plunged into darkness. It's a game she used to play a lot when she first came to SHIELD, standing so still for so long that she could even trick the technology into thinking she wasn't there.

The way she scared the living hell out of people was just the icing on the cake, really.

She hasn't done it in a long time, though, not since Clint left SHIELD to become a landlord and start a war with the mafia, or whatever he was getting up to these days.

She sits that way for a little longer, letting her thoughts float through her head but not pursuing any specific one.

An alarming number of them concern Pepper Potts, which was fair when Natasha could tell herself that it was just because she was Natasha's boss that Natasha couldn't stop thinking about her. Now she doesn't have anything to tell herself and denial really isn't a good look for her.

Ignoring her problems, however, has always been a good strategy for her, that is, if she can't shoot them.


End file.
